Staff Favorite: Diamond!

Foster

Foster Care at HRA

A robust and generous network of foster homes makes it possible for us to care for more animals with a broad range of specific care needs—from orphaned kittens who need round-the-clock feedings to cats and dogs for whom the shelter environment is too stressful and does not allow them to exhibit their true personalities.

HRA takes in an average of 30 animals per day. The team works around the clock to provide for all of the animals in our care, but our shelter space and resources are limited. Thanks to the work of foster families, we are able to create a virtual shelter in the community for our most vulnerable animals. On any given day our fosters double the number of animals we can rescue and they give an animal the best possible place to wait to find a loving home.

Thinking of Becoming a Foster Parent?

Foster parents fulfill a critical component of our life-saving work. Any individual, family, or business with the compassion and willingness to help animals-in-need can serve as a foster parent. Foster terms can range from a few days or weeks to a month or more, depending on the preferences of the foster parent and the needs of the animal. Foster homes are most needed for:

Dogs over 40 lbs who are stressed in the shelter environment

Animals who are sick

Animals who need behavior training or socialization

Animals too shy or timid in the adoption center environment

Moms with nursing kittens or puppies

Orphaned bottle fed kittens and puppies

Animals too young for spay/neuter

HRA's foster department also offers several specialized programs designed to support our most vulnerable animal populations.

In Real Life — focuses on learning about our population of dogs over 40 pounds through a short 2-3 day stay in a foster home.

Safe Haven — working with our Humane Law Enforcement department, foster parents assist survivors of domestic violence by caring for their pet while they make arrangements for a new living situation.

Happy Hour — take a dog home for a few hours to give them a break from shelter life to lower their stress levels and improve their overall well-being.

When Will I Be Matched with A Foster Animal?

We are always looking to welcome new foster families into the HRA network—it’s the best way to expand the number of animals we can save in our community. You don’t need to have previous animal experience to become a foster, just a love of animals and a willingness to learn. We only place animals in foster homes who need special care before they can be adopted or are having difficulty adjusting to shelter life.

We most commonly need to place dogs over 40 lbs or adult cats who need medical attention or who find shelter life stressful. If you are able to provide a temporary home to one of these animals, we will be able

Sign-up to be a Foster Parent

If you are interested in becoming a foster for HRA, please sign-up online. After you have completed the sign-up form, a volunteer foster case manager or staff member will be in touch with next steps.